Armada Marine Hydraulics has successfully completed a £1 million hydraulic installation on the largest privately owned yacht ever to be built in the UK and is the 33rd largest yacht in the world. At 96m M/Y VAVA II is also one of the most technologically advanced and stylish yachts in the world with exterior styling by Redman Whitely Dixon, and interior design by Remi Tessier. Some of the special features Armada were involved with were the initial design of the ring main hydraulic system, the variable depth swimming pool, the large fold-down beach club, emergency HPU’s and the shell doors .

The world’s largest sailing sloop M5 is currently at Pendennis Shipyard, Falmouth undergoing a major refit. The vessel was built at VT Shipbuilding and used Teekay Coupling extensively throughout her grey water and bilge systems.

At the onset of the refit Pendennis shipyard approached Armada Marine Hydraulics to survey the existing couplings. Chris Webb from Teekay attended M5 along with Paul Marshall from Armada’s commercial team and following an extensive survey they submitted a technical proposal to Pendennis’s project team on which couplings could be re-used and which should be replaced.

The report stated the existing Teekay couplings had performed very well and whilst a large number could be re-used it was recommended that some of the existing mild steel couplings were replaced with fire proof and stainless versions to improve on their performance and lifespan.

Armada Engineering has expanded its long established Plymouth site at Faraday Mill Business Park into a One-Stop Fluid Power and Fastener Store. The depot has full hydraulic capabilities with hose making and pressure testing facilities as well as engineering support

Day one saw the three large tanks and the pumping skid craned into position on to the already prepared concrete slab.
Day two and Armada attended the site to support the Mitchell & Webber team with the installation of the Geberit Mapress pipe and fittings, having previously being trained and certified by Sarah Young from Geberit. During this time the electrical and infrastructure components were also being installed.
Day three involved finalisation of all the pipe-work, fittings and the electrical installation followed by the system being commissioned.

So unbelievably in three days the Mitchell & Webber engineering team had the site operational.

The main factor in the rapid commissioning of the plant was undoubtedly the use of the Geberit non-welded pipe-work system against traditional welded flanges and fittings. In conjunction with Trevor Rigden of Armada’s commercial team, Mitchell & Webber’s project management team planned the installation around Geberit 108mm and 76.1mm 316 stainless tube and Geberit Mapress fittings. Whilst the base cost of the materials were higher than that of standard scheduled tube in mild steel the other cost benefits were considerable. Time and ease of the installation being the main cost saving and benefit, as previously installations took from two to three weeks. Mitchell & Webber’s engineering project team began on Thursday morning and by lunchtime on Saturday the large fuel system of tanks, transfer arms and associated power sources, pumps, valves and pipe-work had been commissioned.

Trevor Rigden comments “The Geberit Mapress system is so quick and easy to install”. The pipe-work runs were installed on site with no welding required. The Geberit Mapress system is very flexible; the joints do not have to be pressed until the system is in place, so any adjustments to the pipe-work can be easily under-taken. As for future maintenance, the use of the 316 Stainless steel components means there is minimal risk of corrosion and no painting required. The Mitchell & Webber team can easily extend the system through the use of slip joints and a wide range of flanged and threaded fittings.

Armada Engineering is proud to associate itself with this innovative and cost saving non-welded pipe-work system. Geberit Mapress is a system Armada has supplied for both marine and industrial purposes; with Teekay Couplings, Victaulic’s groove system and WalformPlus for high pressure applications, Armada are market leaders in cost effective pipe-work systems.